Symptoms can include poor weight gain, troublesome coughs, repeated chest infections, salty sweat and abnormal stools.
 

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects a number of organs in the body (especially the lungs and pancreas) by clogging them with thick, sticky mucus.
 

Repeated infections and blockages can cause irreversible lung damage and death. Mucus can also cause problems in the pancreas preventing the release of enzymes needed for the digestion of food. This means that people with CF can have problems with nutrition.
 

CF is an inherited condition. For a child to be born with CF both parents must be genetic carriers for CF. They do not have CF themselves.
 

In Australia, all babies are screened at birth for CF.